The Daily News. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1917. HAIG'S GREATEST OFFENSIVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 September 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1917. HAIG'S GREATEST OFFENSIVE.

The great battle in Flanders—the greatest battle in this war of ever-increasing effort, suffering and achievement —opened brilliantly on July 24, when the British, supported by French troops on their left, commenced an offensive oil a front of fifteen miles wide, east and northeast of Ypres. Our men went forward with such invincible spirit that they stormed two entire defensive systems and ten fortress villages, advancing about two miles generally, but between four and five at the deepest point. According to Mr. Beach Thomas' description of the terrain, our men marched out literally "into the blue." That land of a vamps, ponds and canals, from whieh litt.. hummocks stand out as archipelagos from the sea, does not permit of elaborate dug-outs and vast systems of excavated defences, and this was an advantage from an attacking point of view. So effective was the British shooting on this occasion, directed by, the magnificent skill and courage of our airmen, that in one German battery the gun crews were renewed nine times and guns five times. In order to give full credit to the achievement, it must be remembered that the Russian collapse had enabled Germany to withdraw men and guns from the east, thus enhancing tho glory of the great victory. . We cannot forget it) was proclaimed hy the enemy that the British offensive had ceased for good with the capture of Mes i>ines. No doubt the wish was father to the thought, but another of the many disillusionments has come to the enemy, for after the bad weather ceased another blow was delivered and the higher ground reached, and now has fallen a still further smashing stroke which is also being pressed home. The British now hold the high ground east of Ypres, and in view of the opinion of Marcel Hutin (the French expert) that all the fighting in France and Belgium this summer has been a struggle for position, the success of the British offensive becomes the more apparent, for the Germans have now lost every one of their original observation posts except two groups of hills near Rhejnis, and even in this region the French, by capturing the Moronvillers height?, lvave gained full observation over the vast plain of Champagne in the north. The positions whieh the British recently captured are so important that the enemy is incessantly atacking; but attempts with powerful contingents have been sensationally defeated. The positions occupied by the British are such that they can, if need be, wait for the coming spring and pass the winter without having their'feet in water; the reverse will be the lot of the Germans in the positions to which they have retreated. Thursday, the 20th inst., marked another tremendous attack on the German positions all the objectives being gained, the advance being over a mile in depth. In this irresistible assault great losses were inflicted on the enemy, while important positions were taken, and in ipite of desperate counter attacks the gains have been held. It shows very clearly that as soon as the work of consolidating the new positions had been accomplished, Sir Douirlag Haig

lost no time in resuming the offensive by delivering this smashing blow on the whole of the Ypres buttle front, his success being as pronounced as in the previous operations, and it would seem that the Germans are unable to stem this tictorious advance. When it is recognised that Germany is putting forth lier utmost efforts on this front without avail we cannot help being encouraged by the succession of victories won, and our confidence in the forces of the Empire is well placed. We may be excused for the pride which is felt in the brilliant exploits of the Anzaes. It is however, our faith in the Imperial forces as a whole that counts. We know them to be "brave in peril, constant in tribulation, temperate in wrath and in all changes of fortune, and down to the gates of death loyal and loving one to another." That is an Army which, with so grand a cause, can never be defeated,,, but must triumph so long as the people of the Empire support it with the same heroic spirit.